Youth Update: November 14, 2011

Youth teams suffer losses during preseason friendlies

November 14, 2011

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Revolution Under-18 and Under-16 teams each played a preseason friendly against the Philadelphia Union youth teams on Sunday, Nov.13, at ForeKicks in Marlborough, Mass. With several players missing because of injury or high school playoff games, the games afforded a dozen new players their first action in a Revolution uniform.

UNDER-18s

The Under-18s suffered a 3-0 loss to the Union in the first match of the day. Philadelphia opened scoring in the second minute, after a cross from the left found Darius Madison in the box. The Union continued to apply pressure; forcing goalkeeper Matt Mozynski (Bellingham, Mass.) – who played a combined 130 minutes on the day, after an injury during warm-ups forced him in the U18s’ starting lineup – into making two consecutive saves in the 22nd minute. A foul called in the closing minutes of the half gave the visitors a free kick, which Union Home Grown player Zach Pfeffer sent over the wall and into the side netting for a 2-0 Philadelphia lead. On the other side of the break, both teams immediately created chances. While first-year Rev Ramiro Osario (Hooksett, N.H.) provided consistent service from the left, the Union scored the final goal of game in the 79th minute, shutting out New England in its first taste of fall competition.

UNDER-16s

The Under-16s also came away with a loss in the second friendly against Philadelphia, albeit with a consolation goal. The Union first scored in the eighth minute, when a cross from the left was headed home by Taylor Dempsey. The visitors doubled their lead in the 14th minute behind Charles Wheaton’s goal, but New England answered shortly after. Build-up on the left flank resulted in a shot on goal by Amadu Kunateh (Lynn, Mass.), prompting a save by the Philadelphia goalkeeper Zack Steffen. Collecting the rebound in front of the net, Danny Apajee (Cranston, R.I.) followed up with a goal for the Revolution. A third Philadelphia goal by Colton Amidon in the 20th minute put the Union up, 3-1 – a score that would hold through to the final whistle.

One week of preseason training remains until the Revolution Under-18 and Under-16 teams begin their fourth season as part of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy. This weekend, the teams kick off their 2011-12 schedule at Durfee High School in Fall River, Mass., where they will host Met Oval on Saturday, Nov. 19, before playing the New York Cosmos on Sunday, Nov. 20.